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An Introduction to TikTok Ads

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In just a few years, TikTok has seen massive growth in app usage. The platform already had over 1 billion active users as of April 2022.

On top of being an addictive social media platform that can boost brand awareness, you can also invest in paid advertising to further boost your brand’s impact on the app’s audience. And with over 1 billion users, it’s no wonder why TikTok ads could be a great addition to your social media advertising strategy.

But you can’t just copy/paste your existing Facebook/Instagram campaign and use it on your TikTok account. Because of the nature of TikTok, the types of ads are different than on other social media platforms.

1. Types of TikTok Ads

TikTok provides you with plenty of options to advertise on the platform. So you can choose what will be most effective in reaching your target audience and getting your message across. Here are the different types of ads you can run with the TikTok ads platform:

• In-feed video – These are ads that appear among the native news feed of TikTok users on the “For You” page.

• Brand takeover – This type of ad allows you to dominate the conversation as your message takes over the whole screen for a few seconds. It then turns into an in-feed video ad.

• Spark ads – TikTok rolled out this ad type in 2021, giving brands the ability to sponsor popular organic content that relates to their products.

• Image ads – Brands can place image ads in videos that appear via TikTok’s news feed apps.

• Video ads – These ads are full-screen videos of 5 to 60 seconds that appear in a user’s “For You” feed.

• Pangle ads – Pandle’s video platform integrates with TikTok to offer video, native and banner ads, but this feature is available to only specific countries.

• Carousel ads – These ads include up to 10 images and appear in TikTok’s news feed apps. This is the closest kind of ad that you will get to a Facebook ad.

• Branded AR content – Your ads can also appear as branded stickers, lenses and other types of AR content so TikTok users can use them in their videos.

• Hashtag challenge – This type of ad shows up in the “Discovery” section of the app and can encourage user participation.

• Sponsored influencer content – For this type of TikTok advertisement, you get your message across through sponsored content from an influential TikTok user.

2. How Much to TikTok Ads Cost?

It is important to note that TikTok requires a minimum of $50/day for campaign level budgets, and $20/day for ad group level budgets.

3. TikTok Advertising Best Practices

To get the best results from your TikTok ad campaigns, follow these best practices:

Stay on brand

TikTok users respect authenticity, so make sure your ad content is true to your company’s values and conforms with your branding.

Be direct

Yes, TikTok allows you 60 seconds to make your point, but videos of 21 to 34 seconds are best for boosting conversions.

Keep it vertical

Videos with vertical orientation outperform the square or horizontal format, with a 40% boost in impressions.

Promote at the right time

The success of eBay’s “Sneaker Showdown” campaign was due in part to its timing in alignment with the NCAA basketball tournament. Look for trending topics or events that can help you generate buzz for your ad campaign. And don’t forget that TikTok analytics will show you the best time to run your ads for maximum audience reach.

Use sound and text

According to TikTok, “audio of any kind” boosts ad impressions. Captions and text overlays also improve the impact of ads.

Incorporate hashtags

Help users find you by including relevant hashtags. You can see trending hashtags on the TikTok discovery page and choose the ones that make the most sense for your ad and your brand.

Incorporate interactive add-ons

TikTok’s interactive features encourage interaction with ads. For example, you can use the Gesture add-on to encourage users to swipe or tap on an ad to reveal a reward. Or use the Voting Sticker overlay to seek input from your audience.

Partner with influencers

TikTok influencers already have a following, so partnering with them on an ad campaign can greatly expand your reach. Search for influencers that are either already using your product or are among your target demographic. You might be able to launch a new campaign with an influencer to build buzz for your brand, or find an influencer with existing content that would work well for a Spark Ad.

Test and optimize

Review your TikTok analytics often to see how your content is performing. Look at metrics such as views, interactions and click-through rates, and adjust your content strategy if you’re not seeing the engagement you’d hoped for.

If you’ve been on the fence about stepping into TikTok ads, reach out to us or give us a call at 305-455-0720. But before we go, here are some statistics about TikTok that might push you in the right direction:

TikTok Advertising Statistics

• Of marketers that buy paid ads on social media, 65% purchase them on TikTok. (HubSpot Blog)

• Marketers say that TikTok is the second most effective platform for video content. (HubSpot Blog)

• 36% of consumers want to learn about products through short-form videos like TikToks or Reels. (HubSpot Blog)

• Gen Z is discovering and buying products on social media more than any other generation. (HubSpot Blog)

• A recent Kantar survey found that 67% of respondents agreed that ads on TikTok capture their attention, which is a 10% lead on other social media channels. (Kantar)

• 52% of TikTok users in the U.S. said that advertisements they saw on the platform were fun and engaging. (Statista)

• TikTokers are twice as likely as users of other social channels to recommend something they’ve discovered on TikTok. (Material)

• 43% of users try something or go somewhere new after seeing it at least once on TikTok. (Flamingo)

• 58% of users say they’re more likely to talk about a brand or share an ad if a video features a song they like. (TikTok)

• Ad content created for TikTok and in partnership with creators has a 93% higher engagement rate. (TikTok)

• 71% of TikTokers say that TopView ads, which have a longer run time, successfully capture their attention. (TikTok)

• In-Feed ads on TikTok achieve 23% higher detail memory than TV ads. (Neuro-Insight)

• 55% of users say TikTok helps them discover new things. (TikTok)